If so, then count yourself among South Florida’s most fervent car restoration fans; those who can tell the difference between a supercharger and turbocharger by sound; those who take pride in making sure that everything down to the wheels, upholstery and radio knobs of their classic cars are as true to the original as they can be.

How to Find a Car Restoration Shop Near You

So how do you go about finding the restoration company that’s best for your prized vehicle?

“Talk to other people at car shows,” says Gary Stone, a self-employed restoration specialist in Pawlet, Vermont, in the magazine Hemmings Muscle Machines. “Pick a car like the one you want to restore, or one that appeals to you. Talk with the owner about the restoration, and find out if any other cars at the show were done by the same restorer.”

Call or visit restoration shops, talk to the owner or manager, and determine whether they have the experience you need. Find out if the cars are all kept indoors while they are being worked on, and ask for references from previous customers of the restoration shop.

Best Car Restoration Shops in Miami

Here are a few of the Miami area’s many established restoration shops to get you started on the journey of transforming your car from simply old to absolutely classic.

Auto Technik Vintage

Milton Gusmao had decades of experience in car restoration and a love for antique cars when he founded Auto Technik in 1993. The gallery on the shop’s website includes cars Austin Healey, BMW, Mercedes Benz, Jaguar and Bentley. He is a member of – and his work has been recognized by – the Antique Automobile Club of America.

JC. Antique Restoration

In business since 1997, JC. Auto Restoration does color restoration, frame alignment, custom painting, and welding services, and guarantees its work for 20+ years. The business is family-owned, and likes to say that it treats its customers like family, too.

Mr. Classik Motorsports

Mr. Classik was first an internet-based vintage auto parts company, founded in 2000. It later added restoration and service, and now takes care of classic American, Asian and European vehicles. Among the cars showcased in its gallery are Porsches, Continentals, Mustangs and a bright gold classic Corvette.

Trans Am Specialties

The company restores Camaros and other vehicles, but it specializes in Pontiac Trans Am restorations. And the reason why is clear: There’s a worshipful Trans Am history on the website’s “About us” page, sliding Trans Am history in next to other American icons like Elvis Presley, “Star Wars” and President Jimmy Carter. Its restorations page is full of completed jobs with details about what each car needed to return to its original glory.

Vantage Motor Works

The company calls restoration “an art form,” and the photos on its site are a gallery of luxuriously restored Rolls Royce’s and Bentleys. It’s clearly doing something right; its restorations have taken Best in Class, Second Place, Third Place and People’s Choice and Most Sensitive Restoration awards at competitions from Boca Raton to Pebble Beach to Italy.

Make It Happen Automotive

In business since 1977, the company expanded in 2009 to a new high-tech auto body shop. It takes pride in its 15,000-square-foot facility, its paint lab, spray booth, high-tech measuring systems and metal aluminum welders. Its goal? To restore and preserve the original form of a vehicle, as the manufacturer defined it.

Buggods

While your classic bug or VW bus will find its next life here, the company doesn’t restrict itself to Volkswagen restorations. In fact, they list German, English, French, Italian and Japanese automobiles on their site, including Porsche, Triumph, Jaguar, Citroen, Alfa Romeo and Maserati. Buggods has been a local favorite since 2001.

Graveyard Classics

The company focuses on keeping classic cars out of the graveyard, specifically mentioning antique, muscle and classic cars and trucks. “Our staff has over 200 years combined experience,” the website says. “We can repair and paint anything from horse carriages to dragsters.”

Fabulous Restorations

The shop specializes in Corvette restoration, but isn’t limited to this; the gallery shows a variety of vehicles. The website goes into detail on several of the company’s most prized restorations, like the 1968 Corvette L88 #6 Owens Corning Race Car, Tony DeLorenzo’s, “Hot Commodity,” showcased on its home page.

The Creative Workshop

Located in an 80-year-old, 10,000-square-foot historic building, The Creative Workshop offers expertise in numerous eras, styles and nationalities of cars. They’ve even had cars shipped to them from around the world. “As craftsmen and historians, our goal is to produce results that are as functional and correct as they are beautiful.”

Protecting Your Classic Restoration

Whether you’ve restored a car yourself or purchased one that has been faithfully returned to its original condition, you need to protect your investment. Our Paint Protection Film is custom-cut for each vehicle, and protect against chips, fading, bugs, sand, road debris and scratches.